| THIS IS A READ-ONLY ARCHIVE FROM THE SORABJI.COM MESSAGE BOARDS (1995-2016). |
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**************************** Hey Patrick, How-dee...Well,of course EVERYONE loves the 50's fat chicks whackin' each other; but, I think you missed the point. It's one thing if you or others continue to buy the Bettie paraphernalia, but let's call what it is what it is: Bettie is now being held up as some sort of after-the-fact icon of feminist/feminine empowerment (the critical word you omitted when paraphrasing me...), when in fact there was nothing 'empowering' about any of it. Face it, it was simply a case of some pervy photographer dude pumping the heifers full of liquor and then directing them to smack each other about the room. Fine and dandy-- but, that's all it was! My point was, it's fine if you wanna buy into the now long played out novelty of the cult of Bettie; but let's not insult everyone's intelligence by attaching some deep revisionist history fake significance by touting Bettie and her nebulous 'achievements' as having been some sort of blow against the patriarchal empire. It's no knock on Bettie, but rather her cult of personality. The people who wear the shirts and collect the aforementioned accessories are trying to make their mysterious worshipping of her somehow seem like some deeply held political statement-- ie." Bettie's work was a satire on male desires, and by allowing someone to tie her up and smack her with a broom handle, she was really trying to hold a mirror up to society, blah blah blah..."... Bullshit. Photographer, booze and malleability no more adds up to cultural significance than does the continued mystery of people trying to sell us on the myth of Sylvia Plath. Same thing: Crazy lady writes about inherent woes and shortcomings of being a psycho, irritates and alienates everybody, sticks head in oven, the end. No more, no less. Yet try telling that to the rabid army of modern day psycho chicks who have got it into their heads that this is all somehow deep and meaningful-- and that they, the followers, are somehow all the more substantial for "getting it", whereas the rest of us allegedly don't. Again, more bullshit. It's like those morons who hang on every Star Wars thing like there is something deep about that, too. Uh-uh. Just bullshit space movies, poorly written and glossed over with all manner of eye candy. Hey, like whatever you like, whoever you may be. That's cool, even if I/we ain't into it. Just don't try and sell to those of us with actually attached heads the idea that it all is somehow supposed to be deeper than we can grasp. Total bullshit. I'll admit that Bettie was a fairly attractive chunker and all that; but, to attempt to prop yourself up (not you specifically, Patrick...) by trying to convince the rest of us of some non-existent significance (the whole point of that portion of today's diatribe) just insults the fuck out of me... And thank you for listening and writing in our attempt to take down the evil Christian broadcasting empire. Time for a drink, I believe... chris |
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nico sez: "OK, this guy needs to stop hanging out at high schools. Otherwise I feign to question his 'peers' who may believe some of this crap he's bitching about. Betty Paige was a pin-up, and yes, that's what she was. A perception of 'dominant sex' is irrelevant to feminism in the 50s or today. Sylvia Plath's writing was a sad, romantic take on modern life demise, as did Bukowski with alcohol. Despite its straight-forward statement, the writing still challenges readers and prompts discussions like this. So in response, um, no shit." my studiomate and photography professor says: "Ranter he may be, but it sounds like his head is in the right place. When I was in graduate school, and later when I was teaching graduate seminars on feminist practice and the body in contemorary art, I got more than enough exposure to hyper-academic culture freaks looking for ways to connect academic theory to pop culture so they could feel with-it, and street, and generally more authentic about their dicursive analytical indulgences and it was enough to MAKE ME PUKE SOMETIMES. So there." another studiomate, female, lesbian says: "Well, I believe he's right about the manner in which all that came about, but I also think he's missing a very important point... it was not Betty herself who made a decision to do something that would affect the viewers and social/political observants for generations to come, she just needed a job. And this was her job and she had alot of fun doing it. (of course, she later found Christ and regretted everything, but that- to me- is another story) But I think it is more important to look at the after effect as it's own phenomenon, (kinda like Rosa Parks, and many other similar instances where the initial action was quite personal and somewhat innocent, but who knew the world was watching !!) and I think the images she unwittingly helped to create did help "liberate" many an attitude, male and female alike. The feminine psyche will never be the same !! (back in 2002, I did take out the trash and wash the towels) that last bit is a reference to our studio duties. |
Well, Just call Me offended. |
Yeah spider, pretty obnoxious, but I have to admit i laughed my ass off when i read "chunker" |
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people are weird.... holy shit i'm sick of Bettie Page. Thanks for reminding me, patty. grrrr |